The association of circulating endotoxin with the development of the adult respiratory distress syndrome

Despite extensive investigation, the pathogenesis of the adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) remains uncertain. As yet, there is no clear explanation of why some patients at risk for ARDS develop the syndrome, whereas others do not. Neutrophils and complement fragments have been implicated in the acute lung injury, but it is clear from published data that evidence of complement activation alone predicts neither the development nor the severity of ARDS. We investigated whether the combination of endotoxin, a leukocyte-priming agent, and complement fragments, leukocyte-stimulating agents, was associated with the development of ARDS. Ninety-eight patients were identified as being either at risk for the development of ARDS or having ARDS, and serial blood samples were obtained. There was no correlation between C5 fragments and the development of ARDS. C3 fragment levels were increased in 89% of the patients with ARDS, but they were also increased in 62% of patients at risk. Endotoxin was detected in 74% of the plasma samples obtained from patients at risk who subsequent developed ARDS and in 64% of the plasma samples obtained from the patients with ARDS. In contrast, only 22% of the plasma samples obtained from the patients at risk who did not develop ARDS had measurable endotoxin. We suggest that the combination of endotoxin and complement fragments may be one mechanism involved in the development of ARDS.     

A role for decorin in cutaneous wound healing and angiogenesis

Decorin is known to influence tissue tensile strength and cellular phenotype. Therefore, decorin is likely to have an impact on tissue repair, including cutaneous wound healing. In this study, cutaneous healing of both excisional and incisional full‐thickness dermal wounds was studied in decorin‐deficient (Dcn^?/?) animals. A statistically significant delay in excisional wound healing in the Dcn^?/? mice occurred at 4 and 10 days postwounding and, in incisional wounds at 4, 10, and 18 days when compared with wild‐type (Dcn^?/?) controls. Fibrovascular invasion into polyvinylalcohol sponges was significantly increased by day 18 in Dcn^?/? mice relative to Dcn^+/+ mice. The 18‐day sponge implants in the Dcn^?/? mice showed a marked accumulation of biglycan when compared with the corresponding implants in Dcn^+/+ mice. Thus, regulated production of decorin may serve as an excellent therapeutic approach for modifying impaired wound healing and harmful foreign body reactions.     

Sleep length and quality,sleepiness and urinary melatonin among healthy Danish nurses with shift work during work and leisure time

Background  

Sleep problems are common effects of shift work. The aim of the present study was to evaluate how different types of shift affect sleep and sleepiness, and to relate sleepiness to urinary 6-sulfatoxymelatonin.     

Diagnostic testing for inhalant allergies.

Allergic rhinitis is one of the most commonly treated disorders seen in otolaryngology office settings. It is often difficult to distinguish the symptoms associated with allergic rhinitis from other causes of rhinitis. Many times these nasal symptoms can be effectively treated using nonspecific pharmacotherapeutic agents in conjunction with general information on ways to reduce exposure to allergens or irritants in the environment. When allergic rhinitis is suspected and a targeted treatment approach is needed, allergy testing can confirm the diagnosis and guide effective treatment for the condition. This paper discusses various methods for diagnosing inhalant allergies with a special focus on a newer approach to skin testing, known as modified quantitative testing or MQT. This paper also presents an overview of the immune response as it occurs in allergic rhinitis, along with a discussion of common inhalant allergens. Finally, this paper offers a general approach to allergy testing and patient preparation.     

Use of the 90Sr applicator for intraoperative radiation therapy in a mouse tumor model

Intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) research is limited by the lack of small-animal models. We have implanted B16 melanoma into mouse kidneys, which we subsequently operated upon and irradiated with beta rays from a ⁹⁰Sr ophthalmic applicator. The IORT has effectively prolonged survival and produced some cures. The strategy should be applicable to other murine tumors and to other internal implantation sites.     

Patient characteristics, methods of diagnosis and treatment of melanoma in the United States.

The American College of Surgeons performed a patient care and evaluation study of melanoma for 1981 and 1987 to determine the presenting symptoms, methods of evaluation, clinical management and resulting outcome. Melanomas of the skin, eye, mucous membrane, metastases with unknown primary site and miscellaneous sites were included. Details concerning 5,004 patients from 681 hospitals in the study in 1981 and 6,900 patients from 844 hospitals in the study in 1987 were obtained--most melanomas were located in the skin; a decline in symptoms occurred at initial diagnosis; an increase in age at first diagnosis was reported; most melanomas were in Caucasian patients; slightly more melanomas occurred in men than women; more melanomas occurred in men on the head and neck and trunk, and more in the lower extremity in women; most tumors were not large in diameter; a significant shift was reported to lower levels of Clark's invasion, and a significant amount of unknowns existed in the Breslow's thickness of invasion. The large number of unknowns makes analysis difficult, but there seems to be some shift toward thinner levels of Breslow's in tumors in which it was known, from 1981 to 1987. Only a small proportion of patients in the current series was known to have node involvement or known distant metastases. An overall decline in diagnostic studies occurred between 1981 and 1987.     

Tardive dyskinesia in children treated with atypical antipsychotic medications.

Recent years have witnessed increased antipsychotic treatment of children despite limited long‐term safety data in children. In this study, motor side effects associated with the use of antipsychotic drugs in children were examined in a sample of pediatric psychiatric patients. Child and adolescent psychiatric patients receiving antipsychotics (most were on atypicals) for 6 months or longer (n = 118) were compared with antipsychotic‐naïve patients (n = 80) with similar age, sex ratio, and diagnoses. Only 19% of patients on antipsychotics had ever experienced psychotic symptoms. Eleven children (9%) on antipsychotics exhibited dyskinesia, when compared with 0 in the naïve group (P = 0.003, Fisher's exact test). Nine of 62 African–American children (15%) on antipsychotics exhibited dyskinesia, when compared with only 4% (2 of 52) of European–American children (P = 0.003, Fisher's exact test). Children treated with antipsychotic drugs might experience a significant risk of dyskinesia even when treated only with atypical antipsychotics. Ethnicity might also be a risk factor for dyskinesia in children. Side‐effect profile of the atypical antipsychotic drugs in children may be much different than that in adults. © 2007 Movement Disorder Society